Overview
A Bane of Breath is an ancient and malevolent entity that preys upon the breathing. Appearing as a swirling cloud of darkness, the Bane latches onto its victims, slowly siphoning away their air. Known for the suffocating terror it induces, the Bane of Breath does not kill switfly but rather thrives on the fear and panic of its victims as they struggle for air. Legends say these entities were once spirits of the wind, now corrupted, transformed into a predator that feeds on the very breath of life itself.
Appearance
The Bane of Breath appears as a dark, swirling mist that is seemingly alive. This cloud, shifts and morphs but usually reverts to a spherical shape in between movements. Thin, smoky tendrils lash out from the cloud occasionally to latch onto victims. Despite the swirling, when passive, the Bane moves slowly, like a creeping fog, often going unnoticed until it is too late. As soon as a victim is found, it compacts back into a ball, and attacks.
Origin
It is believe the Banes were benevolent guardian spirits. They were elemental spirits of air, creations of
Essina, the goddess of the winds. At some stage, they were corrupted. Perhaps an entity twisted them during the Age of Darkness, an age where it is said a great war was fought against many evils and monstrosities. There is a good chance one of those unknown dark forces was the cause of the Banes. Though, it is generally agreed most elementals were banished at the end of the previous age, the Age of the Primordial. Some smaller elementals exist in the current time, so there is a chance the previous forms of the Banes were regarded small enough or benign enough to remain. Another line of thought is that when the gods sealed themselves away from the mortal realm, these guardians were left behind, abandoned, and forgotten. Over time, this neglect twisted them into the Banes.
Behaviour & Abilities
The Bane of Breath is a silent hunter, literally moving on the wind. They lurk in the corners of ruins, cursed temples and other places of dark power. They wait for victims to enter their domain, and follow them, taking their time. The Bane will tend to strike when it senses its victim is vulnerable. Unlike other malevolent entities, the Banes do not seek quick deaths. Its nature is one of torment, lending credence to the theory neglect is what drove them to be the way they are. They like to suffocate their victims slowly, to make them suffer for as long as possible, perhaps to make them feel the way the Bane does itself.
Fighting a Bane of Breath is difficult, thought it is believe, like many creatures of this kind, that divine magic will help. It is also thought that wind-based elemental spells will help dissipate the Bane for a while, though some believe that may only make them stronger. Naturally, if one is heading into a territory known to harbour a Bane, then preparing a breathing ward or apparatus of some kind will gain some time, until the Bane works out how to circumvent the preparations.
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